Woman charged after dog dies outside in the cold

A Calumet Park woman has been charged in connection with the death of a pit bull that had been left outside in subzero cold, according to the Cook County Sheriff's Office.

Tracy Cherry, 46, was charged with animal cruelty after the sheriff's Animal Crimes unit received a tip about a dog found dead in a doghouse outside an apartment in the 1400 block of West 123rd Street in Calumet Park, the sheriff's office said.

Deputies, along with members of the South Suburban Humane Society, went to the building and found the body of a 9-year-old male pit bull, the office said. A necropsy found that it had died of hypothermia.

Sheriff's police learned that the dog had been let out on the afternoon of Jan. 5 and had remained outside for about 12 hours. Police also learned that Cherry had found the dog's body on Jan. 6. The low temperature in Calumet Park on Jan. 5 was minus 1 and the low on Jan. 6 was minus 15 degrees, officials said.

Sheriff’s police arrested Cherry on Jan. 20. Her next court date is Feb. 3 at the Markham Courthouse.